@ Lenox If things continue the way they are we may not have any representation in the European parliament, @ dec The whole point of my e petition is to get proper representation for ex pats across the world not just in the EU. @ Justin Harper I am sending you an e mail.

Just to let Peter Johnson know that we have put a link (HMG e-petition 2) to his e-petition on our Votes-for-Expat-Brits-blog, as it is also related to our campaign to remove the 15-year-limit on British expat voting rights (the latter mentioned in the subsequent Telegraph article on expat MP representation by Justin Harper).

Along with Rodney Harper – I have circulated this quite widely through my lists with “http://pensionersdebout.blogspot.com”
It is essential that everyone circulates to all friends, and all other contacts. It is a world-wide issue. In Europe it is vital that all British Citizens become aware of the crisis which would unfold if the UK withdrew from the EU. And extremely few British Citizens on the continent would have any voice!

Peter: An intriguing idea. Do you have anyone specifically in mind? Is there a Tory, Labour or God forbid, a Lib.Dem. Who might give a toss? there could be an independent M.P. who has sufficient cojones to take it on. Can’t imagine Farage being interested. The key of course is the vote for the people living outside the U.K. (estimates vary widely between five and fourteen million) Without that, there’s nothing in it for the rapscallions in Westminster, who can barely be bothered caring for their own constituents, let alone folk who are easy to characterise as having turned their back on Blighty. Good luck.

At the last count there were only 23,388 British citizens resident abroad who were actually registered to vote at the last election. The 15-year-limit on their voting rights already excludes an unknown number of the estimated +4.4 million of voting age. With such a relatively small number registered to vote it’s indeed difficult to get serious support from the political parties. In some cases it’s direct opposition particularly on repealing the 15-year-limit. However,some have expressed concern that only 560 out of 10,000 British troops in Afghanistan voted at the last election!
Hopefully Peter’s initiative will help to draw out the support of significantly more of this large British diaspora overseas to secure serious political attention.

If Britain left the EU then the following could/would apply.
These matters would affect most severely the 450,000 British State Pensioners living in Europe beyond the UK. Some affect all British Citizens.
• All rights accorded to British Citizens under EU laws would cease to apply. The four freedoms of movement of people, goods, services and capital would cease
• One would no longer be European Citizens – passports would have to be changed.
• Carte-de-Séjours (foreign residency cards) would need to issued and these demand a minimum level of income.
• No British Citizen would the have an automatic right to live in France. Those with little capital (trying to set up businesses?) could be asked to leave.
• The State pension would be frozen
• The European Health Insurance Card would cease, affecting all British Citizens travelling from the UK to the continent, and Pensioners holidaying from one country to another within Europe.
• Medical subsidy support would cease. (Few realise that medical support for Pensioners derives from the UK –NHS)
• One would no longer have the vote for local commune councils, nor the right to be a local councillor.
• Cross Border trade would be affected. Goods from abroad would revert to the practice before 1973. The purchase of goods by internet could be subject to import duties. The situation would be the same as for goods imported from the USA, subject to custom duties.
• The current relaxation of inheritance laws for European Citizens (although confused) would not operate for the British citizen.
• Other nasties could arise. For example, at one time the French imposed taxes on the import of money.
At the moment the British Expatriate has no political voice. The British Government must to take notice of the British Citizens in Europe and act in their interest.
For these reasons we need an intelligent, sympathetic Representative in any deliberations in Westminster – whether in or out of the EU.
We must support Mr. Johnson’s petition. It needs enormous numbers of supporters to truly succeed – 500 a day!

@Peter: Europe is finally waking up to this need and since the loss of the BBC satellites many expat Brits are feeling cut off from our home with little or no representation. Maybe you should reopen your petition and I for one would not only sign it but push that this gets the attention in the Munich community that it deserves.

Gary W. —-
The petition exists at “http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/55085”
This petition is for MPs to represent the Britons Abroad.
It is absolutely astonishing that a Winter Fuel Payment petition has attracted more than 16000 signatures but that for Representative MPs only just over 3,000.
Please understand what a representative MP COULD DO!
Speak up for us in PARLIAMENT AND DIRECTLY to the Civil Service
on the matter of the WFP.
on the matter of BBC coverage.
on the matter of fair pensions.
on the matter of any treaty with the EU (and other independent States)
on the matter of passport charges.
on the matter of health charges.
— on any matter that affects the relationship between us, our resident State, The EU (i,e, Brussels) and Britain.
Why on earth do people not grasp the fundamental importance of this. The French do and so do all other European States (except Ireland, Denmark, Malta and BRITAIN!) Britain has more citizens living outside Britain in the EU than any other nation.
Get the message flying around Spain – ASK DEMAND! that we have Representation at Westminster.
The European Union wants this – It is the UK Government that is the difficulty.
Please Rally to this cause. If we do not stand up for ourselves then we could just go under. If Britain were to leave the EU we would be in grave difficulty.
WAKE UP!

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